Lugar Responds to Mourdock Criticism

Sen. Dick Lugar's (R-Ind.) campaign responded Friday evening to allegations made by his primary opponent, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who accused the Senator and his staff of being out of touch with Hoosier State Republicans.

"I don't have anything to say about Mourdock's campaign," said Lugar spokesman David Willkie. "He is, as usual, just not talking about an issue, and any issue. As to our campaign, we filed just south of a million dollars last quarter with 80 percent of the individual money coming from Hoosiers."

Lugar is facing a tough primary from Mourdock, who frequently criticizes the Senator for not being conservative enough for Republicans in the state. In a phone interview Friday, Mourdock mused to Roll Call, "I wonder if his staff gets it, if they take him out every morning and let him know" the gravity of his political situation.

Willkie also announced that the Lugar campaign had raised an additional $141,000 since the end of March — almost as much as the $157,000 that Mourdock announced he brought in during the first quarter of this year. Willkie also stressed that Lugar raised that sum meanwhile managing his legislative duties in the Senate, including challenging the president on the recent crisis in Libya and trying to free up 8 million acres of productive farmland.

"He also voted for tens of billions of dollars in savings and continues to destroy weapons of mass destruction aimed at us," said Willkie.